Rain, leaks and a stadium under scrutiny

Camp Nou made headlines again… but not for football reasons. During the LaLiga match between FC Barcelona and Real Oviedo, a heavy storm caused serious water leaks in the press and commentary areas of the recently refurbished stadium.

Images quickly spread online: water pouring from the roof, soaked laptops, and near-impossible working conditions for journalists and broadcasters covering the match.

The Blaugrana stadium, reopened just a few months ago after an expensive renovation, was exposed in one of its most sensitive areas: its basic infrastructure under extreme weather conditions.

Football delivered: Yamal steals the spotlight

On the pitch, Barcelona managed to block out the chaos. After a scoreless first half, the team found answers after the break.

Dani Olmo opened the scoring shortly after halftime, Raphinha doubled the lead with a delicate finish, and Lamine Yamal sealed the win with an acrobatic volley that brought the stadium to its feet.

The 3-0 victory sent Barça back to the top of LaLiga, overtaking Real Madrid once again, although media attention quickly shifted from the football to the stadium’s structural issues.

A serious problem for a billion-euro project

The rain intensified in the final minutes and many fans chose to leave the stadium early. Media workers, however, had no such option.

The situation worsened when the roof above them began to leak continuously, soaking technical equipment and work areas.

Camp Nou is still in a partial reopening phase. While the final goal is a capacity of 105,000 spectators, the stadium is currently hosting just over 45,000 fans as construction continues, with completion expected in June. A project that has already stretched beyond two years… and into the billions of euros.

Uncomfortable comparisons and recent precedents

Footage of the flooded stadium sparked inevitable comparisons on social media. Some fans even described Camp Nou as a “spa”, while others recalled similar issues at Manchester United’s Old Trafford.

In 2024, during a match against Arsenal, videos went viral showing water flowing down stairways inside the English stadium—an incident that helped accelerate United’s plans to build a new venue valued at over £2 billion.

Barcelona are not the first club to face such problems, but they are certainly among the most scrutinized. And while the club prides itself on modernity, the rain served as a reminder that cracks still remain… quite literally.